Writing and Technology lessons and ideas for Middle School Instruction

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Using Picture Books in Middle School Writing

The Common Core State Standards ask for more rigorous
reading and writing, but does that discount use of picture books in classroom
instruction? I say, absolutely not. The simple fact is that mentor texts are
often hard to come by. We have a variety of abilities in each class, and
writing is often looked at as, well, boring. At our fingertips, we have
material that is interesting and colorful, pulling in the disinterested; we
have mentor texts that start at a basic level (although you will see that many picture
books are not so “basic” after all), providing a place to begin for all
students and providing success from the start.

Personal Writing

Any of Patricia Polacco’s books are excellent mentor texts
for personal writing, as well as examples of development of character, conflict, setting,
etc. Before diving into more complex
mentor texts, try using one of her picture books as a mentor text. Two that
come to mind right away include Mr.
Lincoln’s Way and Thank You Mr.
Falker. Both books are excellent examples of memoirs as well as a personal
story revealing a change in the major character.

First off, both books
offer great “Hooks.”

Mr. Lincoln’s Way:
“Mr. Lincoln was the coolest principal in the whole world, or so the students
thought.” Students can discuss how the first sentence/paragraph “hooks” a
reader, then go on a scavenger hunt through other picture books or young adult
novels to find other interesting ways authors start their works. As a higher
level activity, students might then categorize the hooks they found, sharing
out as a whole in the class to create a class chart that lists types of hooks
and examples. Students can also use predicting skills to reveal what they think
will occur or what the story will be about as a result of the first “hook” or
lead line.

Secondly, both books
offer some great figurative language/language usage.

Thank You Mr. Falker:
“Knowledge is like the bee that made that sweet honey, you have to chase it
through the pages of a book!”

As you can see, this simile is pretty deep and not something
that an elementary student may readily grasp. But middle school students have
the ability to delve into the meaning of this simile and to uncover its
meaning. Polacco’s books are loaded with figurative language; students can use
them to go on a scavenger hunt and to work with partners to uncover the
meaning.

Finally, both books
offer thoughts and feelings and use of dialogue.

It can be difficult to teach dialogue, but in picture books
that use this element, students find it easier to grasp- how the dialogue is
used to move the story along, how the dialogue is formatted and punctuated,
etc. All can be investigated through Polacco’s picture books. In addition, when
writing a personal piece, thoughts and feelings is a crucial element. Polacco’s
Thank You Mr. Falker, is full of
thoughts and feelings. The teacher might provide excerpts and have students
highlight those thoughts and feelings, revealing how and where they are used,
as well as to what extent they are used throughout the story.

Other Picture Books I
Love:

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in
People’s Ear by Verna Aardema

I love to read Pourquoi tales- stories about the origin of
an animal’s coloring, size, etc. In the seventh grade, students read Pourquoi
tales, starting with the mosquito book, and we developed our own. They were imaginative
and fun to read!

Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin
by Lloyd Moss

Introduce this book when studying onomatopoeia! It is full
of sound words that students can respond to – highlighting them in excerpts,
holding up a hand when they hear one, etc. Students can practice their own
onomatopoeia in like fashion.

Nothing Ever Happens
on 90th Street by Roni Schotter

I love this book at the start of the year. Students always
cry about having “nothing to write about.”
As I read, students list each piece of advice that is given to the main
character as she searches for something to write about. For example, “Try to find poetry in your
pudding,” Mr. Morley said softly. “There’s always a new way with old words.” Students can work in partners to decipher what
each character meant and how it applies to our writing.

Students also list what the main character thinks as events
occur that prompt her to write: “What
if? What might happen next?” Etc.

Abbie Against the
Storm by Marcia Vaughan

One of my absolute favorites is a true story of a young girl
and a lighthouse, depicting heroism. I love this because it shows that even
kids can be heroes. This book is rich in figurative language, strong verbs,
dialogue, thoughts and feelings and use of adjectives. Beyond that, it is a fast-paced story with
strong character development, conflict and setting. Students can choose a
character trait for Abbie and find quotes that support; students can identify
strong verbs or pull out figurative language and decipher the meaning. This
book is also a great book to graph on a plot chart; a simple start before
moving on to more complex text. Students
might also partake in an exercise involving setting. Why is the setting
important to the story? What if the setting were elsewhere? How would it change
the story? Students might take the challenge, and create their own story of
Abbie in a different setting.

I love picture books in the middle school! They simply are the most
interesting forms of literature that provide excellent mentor texts for
writers, can provide examples of various elements of literature through
mini-lessons, and instill motivation and success by starting “simple.” You will
find, however, that there really is nothing “simple” about picture books; they
reach into our imagination and spark our motivation quicker than any black text
on white paper.